Technology Talk Podcasts

I felt our podcasts came out a lot better than we all thought they would especially since most of us had never done one! The first podcast I listened to was Watchers and Listeners how do we Respond? It was done by the T4 class and I really liked how they showed just how much technology has changed. At one point ten mega bites was considered all the memory your computer would ever need. Cd's are now almost obsolete! The podcasters mentioned that people are reading books less and watching movies and listening to information on podcasts more. That is true but I have to disagree that people will stop reading completely. I know I will always love books and I prefer to read than listen. I found this podcast very informative though maybe it could have had a bit more opinion.
My group did Burp Back Education. After I got over my embarrassment at hearing my own mouse like voice I was really proud of how well we did. Granted I know there is a lot we could have done to make it better though. We have all had experiences with Burp Back Education and none of us enjoyed it. Patricia mentioned the math project her son had to do when he was in 6th grade. He had to plan out a thanksgiving dinner and do all the math for it. I would hug the teacher that came up with a math exercise like that. It was so realistic and useful and so far from the book and memorization techniques I was taught by. I think our podcast could have gone a bit longer and I think we repeated each other a bit to much. Still for a first try it wasn't bad and we really believed in what we were talking about. Down with Burp Back Education!
I also listened to Hannah, Catherine and Carrie and their podcast on how technology is used at South. I like their description of foliotek. They managed to describe its faults without completely condemning it like I would. It was a little repetitive but we have to admit that South doesn't have a whole lot of technology used in the classroom. Foliotek received a lot of attention but I was surprised to learn about the ebooks that are used in some of the education classes. I have never had to use one before so I'm curious about what that would be like. I'm used to paper! The last podcast I listened to was Reflection on Randy Paush's Last Lecture with Brett, Taylor, Jenny and Brie. The podcast was less of a conversation and more of a summary at points but it still touched on some interesting points he made. Taylor mentioned that the book was a good source of information and that actually made me go out and buy it. I really enjoyed it. You should teach the way you live your life. Hopefully that is with joy. I know I took a lot away from the Last Lecture and it is clear that they did also. I like how they mentioned that you should live every day as if it were your last. As scary as it was I'm glad we did these podcasts. I think they all came out very well and I hope people learned something from them.

Itunes

The various podcasts all covered different material but each was rather interesting. I mentioned in my ACCESS post that I really wanted to use the smartboard that was in the lab. The smartboard podcast gave me more information on how the boards are used and different things that can be done with them. I really like how you can go from one site to another. The boards are so interactive and they are great tools for students to learn how to use. The smartboard podcast made the board less intimidating to. I know I probably won't get a chance to use one before I graduate. This way if I end up in a school with them I won't feel so lost on how they operate. This Week in Photography was focused on cameras and different tools for photographers. While it didn't have anything to do with education it shows how podcasts can be focused to one group and filled with information for them. It made me think of a radio show when I heard it. As an English teacher I could make a podcast on Shakespeare for my students to listen to. Mac Break Weekly was focused on the Apple computers and tools and how they are better than PC and Windows. They focused on virus protection. Like the Photography podcast it was focused on a specific form of technology. Also like the photography podcast it shows how focused a podcast can be. KidCast and Edtech Talk were much more useful to me. KidCast focused on podcasts and their use in the classroom. Podcasts by students are becoming more popular but they still aren't being used to their full potential. Instead of having students just make a podcast to make a podcast they should have a greater purpose. They should be done with some message or goal in mind. Teachers are using them more to make their lessons available twenty-four seven for their students. More and more they are becoming necessary. EdTech Talk focused on teaching with the involvement of parents using technology. They suggested a class blog where students and parents could interact with the teacher. I really like that idea because I believe parents make all the difference in the classroom. I want to use podcasts because I see how useful they are to keeping discussions going and gathering information and ideas for the classroom. I want my students and myself to be able to learn as much as possible each semester even though I will also have to teach things for the standardized tests as well. I like podcasts because they are free sources of information too. Free is always nice!

ACCESS Visit

At the MGM Lab


The Smartboard

Out of all the things I have done in this course the one I most enjoyed was the ACCESS lab visit. I went with a group to Mary G. Montgomery High School and met with Mr. Rose the lab director. I did not expect to be as impressed or as enthusiastic as I was by the end of the trip. After all we did go at 9 in the morning and it was rather cold outside! Mr. Rose was very kind and truly loves his job. The lab was also very well equipped. There was a large plasma TV along with a Smartboard (I REALLY wanted to play with it) about twenty laptop computers (one for EACH STUDENT) and a funny little microscope looking thing called/named ELMO. Mr. Rose explained that the point of ACCESS is to allow students from all over the state to take the classes they need and want. There is team work involved in doing the IVC courses. Mr. Rose will be teaching both his physical class and then one over a web cam in another part of the state. On the other end is a facilitator or a proctor who makes sure the students are on task. Mr. Rose told us that the success of a class really depends on how good of a facilitator you have. I asked him how a school went about getting an ACCESS lab and he said that MGM got theirs mostly through grants. All the equipment in the lab adds up to about $85,000! That made me step away from the ELMO and intimidated by the smartboard. My whole college education will, believe it or not, cost less than that lab! The equipment though is first rate. There is a microphone so sensitive that it can pick up a whisper. Mr. Rose also said that the students eventually settle in to "video conferencing" and are soon playing educational games like everyone was in one room. Apparently they even go so far as to accuse one another of cheating! One of Mr. Rose's students who stopped by to answer a question told us that some parts of the distance learning process were enjoyable and that others were kind of lonely. He said it is harder to develop a bond and stay motivated when all you are doing is emailing a teacher. Apparently some of the educational modules are also pretty boring but the ACCESS people are working on improving them. We also got to meet some other teachers who have worked with ACCESS labs. There number one complaint was that there were not enough teachers who knew enough about technology to do the classes properly. Apparently the people responsible for ACCESS have not made the training process easy and the few that do come out qualified are quickly and repeatedly asked to teach. Despite the extra money that goes along with a class like this it is still exhausting. If you get a bad proctor your whole class can be a battle instead of a good experience. All in all I REALLY enjoyed my trip and found everyone to be very welcoming and passionate about technology in the classroom. When I become certified I want to do the ACCESS training so that I can teach these courses as well...and play with the smartboard and ELMO!

Mathematics and Technology

I have never been a big fan of math. I always had a difficult time with it and forgot everything as soon as the test was over. It is for this reason that I like the idea of teachers bringing technology into a mathematics classroom. Chandler mentions that many teachers are reluctant to do this and I have to say I agree. I was always taught by a book and a blackboard. The only technology we ever used were calculators! I found solving equations boring and painful to do as did a lot of my peers. Chandler stated that students come in with a lot of experience with technology and that they would be willing to learn more. This is true because so many of us have already been taught basic skills with computer programs.
While I found Chandler to be rather boring I have to admit she made some good points. A visual aid can go a long way in helping a student to understand what he or she is learning. I know I would have benefited if I had been given something besides a book and a ruler. She also states that teachers feel pressured enough as it is to make sure they teach everything that will be on standardized tests and to finish the book. I have always hated this about the educational system. Tests are important but I don't believe students are learning as much as they should.
While I am going to be an English teacher I could use these types of podcasts to better myself. It is easy to get caught up in doing things in one set way. It is good to mix things up and to be constantly changing the way I relate material. I want to get better and better. These podcasts allow me to hear what thousands of teachers are doing in their classrooms. I can sift through their ideas and create my own. Technology is increasingly being used in the classroom and it is important that I do not fall behind.

Fixed Vs. Growth Mindset

I really liked this podcast because I can relate to it. It's always nice to appear smart because then you aren't judged and considered stupid. However appearing smart and being smart are two different things. This podcast focused on how students can improve their grades and become lifelong learners by changing their mindset. Instead of believing that everyone is given a certain level of intelligence and that there is no way to improve upon it, they should try to keep learning over time and not giving up when something does not click right away. In order to get out of the fixed mindset a student also has to be motivated. The narrator mentioned that some students attended a workshop about study skills while some others went to learn about the growth mindset. The study skills were great but the students showed little improvement because their thought process had not changed. I particularly liked how the students were told that babies are not laughed at when they mess something up while trying to learn. Instead they are encouraged to try again. The same courtesy should be extended to students.
The narrator talked about how the growth mindset can be advantageous to people besides students. Anyone who wants to be a truly good mentor should believe in continuous learning and that it is ok to mess something up now and again. That is merely part of the learning process. Also business people need the growth mindset because they have to believe that they can adapt to the changing world. Race car drivers are inevitably going to make mistakes during a race. If they are able to use them instead of dwelling on them they can often end up winning a race than seemed a lost cause.
I really believe in the growth mindset and I do my best to use it and to help others try to switch over to it. The idea that a person has a set threshold seems silly to me. Kids are able to pull their grades up all the time and to keep doing better. I would like my students to have a growth mindset and to not worry about looking stupid. They should use their mistakes to an advantage instead of getting hung up on them. I have trouble with math but I know that I can learn what I need to if I try hard enough and not focus on all the mistakes. They do not have to be viewed as a negative thing. If you can learn to be adaptable you can learn the growth mindset. Most kids are extremely adaptable and that is why I feel they can make the switch from a fixed mindset to a growth one. There are many teachers who could also benefit from the switch!

Video Podcasts

The WGBH podcasts impressed me more than I thought they would. I looked at several of them and they ranged from grades 3-8. One was about life on a coral reef. The quality was surprisingly good. When I think of free educational material I remember the grainy videos my history teacher had taped at home and brought in! The image was clear and the fish were absolutely beautiful. The information was presented in a clear manner so that students would be able to take notes if needed. At the same time the voice was not monotonous which can make anyone want to pay attention to something else. Though the clip was only two minutes long I thought it would be very useful to show a 6th grade science class. Notes on paper are useful but having an image to go with what you are learning helps to. There was another clip on precipitation that was targeted at 3rd graders. It was extremely short, only about thirty seconds long, and it was more of a slide show that a real video. There was a scene with rain falling and it had the word rain at the bottom; this was also done for snow, hail and sleet.
Students are spending more and more time on the Internet than ever before. I believe the average is around four hours a day! They are also using it to get information fast and easy instead of looking at flash cards or reading a book. By having podcasts like these online and by using them in the classroom I would be able to have the classroom available twenty-four hours a day to my students. It is easy for them to click over to itunes and watch a minute long segment on Wuthering Heights while waiting for their music to load. Also a podcast will not go anywhere whereas a book or a sheet of notes can be lost.
Another reason to use these podcasts is that they are free. Free is the true name of God to a teacher. Funding is very limited and books and videos can range from slightly to very out of date. A podcast can be updated with the latest information quickly for free. The podcast itself is also, usually, free. Videos and class discussions can be made available for no charge which is also good for students. They too can also have financial problems at home so anything that is free benefits them as well.

Edible Schoolyard and Global Village

I found the Global Village to be very interesting. The students aren't in a classroom studying about poverty. Instead they have to live it. The Heifer Farm set up some very neat little "homes" based on places like Guatemala and Tiland. The students are placed into groups and, with the exception of the refugee group, are given limited supplies. Each group has some of what they need but not all. The students must work together to see to it that everyone from each village is taken care of for the night. The students have adult chaperons but these adults can choose to either be an elder or a two- year -old. When the adults decide to step back this allows the students to step up and take responsibility for themselves and those around them. It is very important that students are able to empathize with those less fortunate than they. When they grow up and begin to run the world they will remember their experience at the Global Village and try to help others instead of take from them. This is the best kind of learning because it can be applied for a lifetime. In the classroom I want to be a guide and let the students help one another to learn and enjoy learning. School should not be a place of torment. It should be an adventure. The edible schoolyard was fascinating because it involved all kinds of lessons, math, reading, and science as well as social skills. The students were all able to feel useful. Also the environment was peaceful and not filled with pent up stress like most classrooms are. Everyone really seemed to enjoy the garden.
Collaborative lessons like the Global Village and the Edible Schoolyard teach more than a book ever could. Experience will always trump desk work and I feel that these two projects are very innovative and very useful. A student may not remember the economic chart he read about a third world country but he will remember having to bargain with his fellow classmates to get food and water! As a teacher I want my students to enjoy and remember what I teach them. I hope I can come up with projects such as these so that they will. It also never hurts to help others while you're learning.
I found these two podcasts to be more interesting than some of the other ones I have listened to. As a teacher they make me think about how I can make my classroom and my students' experiences more interactive and enjoyable. It is important that I foster not only mental growth but also emotional growth. Books just aren't enough to go by anymore. The podcasts are a way to see what others are doing and a means for me to gauge if I am doing enough. I want my students to enjoy my classroom as much as the ones in the Edible Schoolyard enjoyed theirs'. There should be a since of peace. That I am there to help them not belittle them. More than likely I will end up teaching Middle School and that is such a hard time for kids. I want class to be an escape instead of a prison. I like the podcasts because they keep me thinking about new ways to make myself better.